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The project utilizes paleotempestology—analyzing sediment cores from lagoons, stalagmite isotopic records, tree rings, and corals—to reconstruct past tropical cyclone activity. Key findings indicate that higher sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic correlate with increased hurricane activity, with notable peaks during the Medieval Warm Period (AD 900-1100) and since 1980. The research also identifies an inverse phase relationship in hurricane landfalls between Central America, the Eastern Caribbean, and the US East Coast, suggesting that the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and tropical anticyclones are critical drivers of coastal risk. Additionally, the study expanded its scope to the Pacific coast of Mexico, identifying an extreme event in Baja California Sur approximately 500 years ago.

The project uses proxy data from lagoon sediments, stalagmites, tree-rings, and corals to analyze past hurricane activity. Key findings indicate that higher hurricane activity correlates with warmer sea surface temperatures and specific climate patterns like the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Research in Nicaragua and Belize suggests an anti-phase relationship in landfall activity between Central America and the eastern Caribbean/U.S. East coast, influenced by the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and subtropical anticyclone. Additionally, the project identifies the Low-Level Jet (IALLJ) as a critical factor for sea surface temperatures and moisture advection. Demographic data highlights that approximately 19 million people in the conterminous U.S. live in vulnerable areas less than 1 km from the coastline.